Sarpsborg, Østfold

Sarpsborg is a city and municipality in the county of Østfold, Norway. Together with Fredrikstad, Sarpsborg forms the fifth largest urban area in Norway. As of April 1st, 2006, according to Statistics Norway these two municipalities have a total population of 121,097 - 50,135 in Sarpsborg and 70,962 in Fredrikstad.

The city was founded as Borg by the famous Viking King Olav Haraldsson (Saint Olav) in 1016. Unfortunately most of the old city landed in the river Glomma, after a mudslide between 1200-1400. The city was rebuilt at a safer location but was burnt down to the ground by Swedish invaders in 1567. Half the population evacuated down the river to what is today known as Fredrikstad, about 15 km downstream. Again Borg was rebuilt, and it was recreated as a city in 1839, and separated from Tune as a municipality of its own. The rural municipalities of Tune, Skjeberg and Varteig were merged with the city January 1, 1992.

People born here

• John Anderson